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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Albert Burneko

Father and daughter. Oil on canvas, around 1550.

Minor Dilemmas

What If Your Kid Tells Dirty Dirty Lies?

Maitreyi Anantharaman

UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT - JUNE 22: Kennedy Burke #25 of the Connecticut Sun goes up for a shot defended by Natasha Cloud #9 of the Chicago Sky in the first quarter at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 22, 2026 in Uncasville, Connecticut.

WNBA

The Chicago Sky Have Nothing To Look Forward To

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Buster Posey at his stupid press conference.

Putting The “Buster” In Buster Posey

Sohini Desai

Arts And Culture

Eight Years Of Rituals With Rosalía

<p>E.Y. Zhao is a writer and editor from St. Louis. Her debut novel, <a href="https://astrapublishinghouse.com/product/underspin-9781662603266/"><i>Underspin</i></a>, set in the world of competitive table tennis, is out now. She holds a BA in history from Harvard College and an MFA from the University of Michigan.</p>


E.Y. Zhao

Politics

Two Nights Outside ICE’s New Jersey Concentration Camp

Tom Ley

NFL Tells Brendan Sorsby He’s Not Their Problem Right Now

Ray Ratto

Pat Riley lifts his fist to imitate his statue after the reveal of the Pat Riley Lakers statue at Star Plaza outside the Lakers arena in February of 2026.

Pat Riley Is Going For It, For Better Or For Worse

Patrick Redford

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 14: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during a game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on March 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)

Trae Young’s Bizarre New Deal Is The Wrong Kind Of Hedge

NBA Commissioner David Stern poses for a photograph with the NUMBER overall draft pick by the TEAM, PLAYER during the 2009 NBA Draft at the Wamu Theatre at Madison Square Garden June 25, 2009 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Podcasts

A Sicko’s Guide To The NBA Draft, With David Lee

Luis Paez-Pumar

Norway's forward #09 Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between Norway and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 22, 2026.

Soccer

The Golden Boot Race Has Already Gotten Ridiculous


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

Mona Khalil, a Lebanese ecologist activist looks at a turtle at a coast in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre 12 August 2002

Science

Mona Khalil, Who Devoted Her Life To Protecting Turtles, Killed By Israeli Airstrike

Lauren Theisen

view from the dirt cam as the Yankees look down on it

Tiny, Innocent Dirt Cam Menaced By Confused Goliaths

Bekah Waalkes

Five Self-Obsessed Danes Make For A Surprisingly Fun And Sexy Summer Read

Giannis Antetokounmpo Is A Heat


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<div>Hallie Lieberman is a historian and journalist. Her book <em>Gigolos: An Exploration of the Men Who Sell Sex and The Women Who Buy It</em> will be published by Beacon Press in January 2027. She is also the author of <em>Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy</em>. Her writing has appeared in <em>Esquire</em>, <em>The New York Times</em>, <em>The Washington Post</em>, and other outlets. </div>
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Hallie Lieberman

An ICE patch and badge are seen on a Department of Homeland Security agent while US Vice President JD Vance speaks at Royalston Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 22, 2026. The Pentagon has ordered 1,500 US soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, a state roiled by unrest over an immigration crackdown, US media reported on January 18, 2026. The reported preparations come days after President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which enables use of the military to suppress "armed rebellion" or "domestic violence" -- although a day later he said there was no immediate need for it, following the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration agent. (Photo by Jim WATSON / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Life As An Undocumented Trans Sex Worker In The Age Of ICE

Giri Nathan

BERLIN, GERMANY - JUNE 16: Serena Williams of the United States competes during the women's doubles match alongside Karolina Muchova against Giuliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe at the WTA 500 Berlin Ladies Open tennis tournament in Berlin, Germany on June 16, 2026. (Photo by Halil Sagirkaya/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Tennis

Serena Williams Is Coming Back As A  Wild Card At Wimbledon

Sarah Borus

Rafael Devers looking up with his helmet fully over his face after fouling off a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the bottom of the fifth inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on June 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California.

The San Francisco Giants Are Just Doing Whatever

Billy Haisley

Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match between Argentina and Austria.

Lionel Messi Falls To Earth, Ascends Right Back Into The Sky

Dave McKenna

Alan Greenspan, Influential Economic Policymaker Whom I Once Terrified At A Party, Is Dead

Nathan Ngoy #25 of Belgium receives a red card during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Belgium and IR Iran at Los Angeles Stadium on June 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California

This World Cup Is Beating A Dead Dark Horse

Seen through algae-laden green water, a tear in the recently applied sealant can be seen on the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 18, 2026 in Washington, DC.

You Can Now Be Arrested For Sticking Your Hand In Donald Trump’s Disgusting Reflecting Pool

Justin Verlander Is Looking For His Wheels

James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers reacts as he is fouled by Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 135-118 Los Angeles Lakers win at Crypto.com Arena on November 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Crosswords

The Crossword, June 22: Position Changes

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies during a House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Defense hearing to examine the 2027 budget for the Department of Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 12, 2026.

The U.S. Is Still Killing People In Illegal Boat Strikes

Barry Petchesky

OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 25: Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators takes a break during a stoppage in play against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 25, 2026, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)